The Hit Producer - Irish Feature Film

description

Struggling movie producer Katelin Ballantyne badly needs an investor, but when the search for one leads her into Dublin’s criminal underworld she is forced to complete a botched contract kill by a ruthless drug boss. Katelin is then blackmailed into continuing to kill and over two years keeps her identity a secret until a fatal mistake exposes her, and disrupts her boss’s plan. Suddenly, Katelin is cut loose, the body of her first kill is discovered and with her family now under threat she must adapt to survive what will surely be the fight of her life.

I’m Kevin de la Isla O’Neill, director of THE HIT PRODUCER, an Irish crime thriller, which will be my debut feature film. I’ve been involved in film since 1996, and, after studying at Coláiste Dhulaigh and the University of Wolverhampton, I’ve worked as director, camera operator, editor and assistant producer for Ned Kelly Pictures, Telwell, RTÉ, TV3, Setanta and various film and music video productions.

My short films Lesson 101, The Wacky Diary of a Pick Up Artist and A King’s Tradition won a combined total of twelve awards at NYC Midnight in 2005 and 2006 - both were awarded Best Director – and in 2010 and 2011 I won the Irish leg of Empire magazine’s ‘Done in 60 Seconds’ competition with versions of “The Departed” and “Shadow of the Vampire”. Most recently I was a finalist in Ford’s ‘8 minutes in Cobh, Co. Cork’ short film competition with: “Hope”

The Hit Producer is a story I’ve been developing over the last three years with our screenwriter Niall Queenan, and together we’ve come up with a great story full of twists and turns and a very memorable cast of characters.

Michelle Doherty will play Katelin Ballantyne, the lead character. Michelle’s career started in modelling and she is best known for her work at Phantom 105.2 where she was voted Best Irish Radio DJ in 2009 and 2010. This will be her feature film debut.

Right now we’re filming as much of the script as is possible but need your support to help us complete it. We need to raise €18,000 to pay for equipment hire, location hire, special effects, makeup, catering for cast and crew and an armourer who will supply guns and safety equipment for the action scenes. This money will also cover the 6-8 weeks of post-production, during which time the film will be edited and made ready for its cinema release.

We’ve set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account where you can keep in touch with us and stay up to date with our progress, as well as look at photos from the set, concept poster work and read articles published about the movie.

We have great rewards to offer in return for your contribution, fully detailed below.

I’d personally like to thank you sincerely for your support and please feel free to join or contact us at: www.facebook.com/thehitproducer or twitter.com/hitproducerfilm

Fund €40+

Fund €80+

'The Hit Producer DVD' (before film is released on DVD) + Customized 'The Hit Producer' logo Keyring + All of the above

Fund €120+

Special Thanks on films credits + Customized 'The Hit Producer' Army style Cap + all of the above

Fund €200+

Associate Producer Credit on Films credits + invite to film Premiere in Dublin in early 2013 for you and a friend when the film is completed + all of the above.
(Transportation outside of Dublin not included)

Fund €300+

Get yourself higher up in the credits and get a Co - Producer Credit on films credits and invite for you and a friend to WRAP party in Dublin where you will meet the team over a drink + all of the above.
(Transportation outside of Dublin not included)

Fund €600+

Executive Producer credit + Ltd Edition Hardback of Production work (including stills, storyboards, production notes) (ONLY 30 books available worldwide) + come and visit us in set in Dublin and meet and greet all of the cast and crew and get your experience documented by our photographer on the day + all of the above
(Transportation outside of Dublin not included)

27 Available

activity

Irish Cinema Release

Update posted on Thursday 15th October '15 @ 03:10:18

Hi all,
We're getting in touch to share some great news. THE HIT PRODUCER is getting a limited Irish cinema release which kicks off this weekend!
It will play in Movies @ Dundrum in Dublin on the following dates and times:
Saturday October 17th - 7:00pm
Monday October 19th - 7:00pm
Tuesday October 20th - 7:00pm
Thursday October 21st - 7:00pm
This is a huge achievement for a feature indie film made on such a small budget, and if these initial screenings prove popular the film will expand to other cinemas in Dublin and a few other locations around the country in the following weeks.
We would really love for as many people as possible to see the film while it's on release, so, if you're planning a cinema outing in the big smoke this weekend, or in the coming week, or have friends/family/colleagues making similar plans, we encourage you to check it out, spread the word and give it a plug.
The following link will take you directly to our page on the Movies @ Dundrum website where you can book tickets: http://bit.ly/1NGQDjE
There's also a brand new trailer, too, which you can watch here: http://bit.ly/1NcDJqH
In the last year the film has screened at film festivals in Ireland, Mexico and the USA and won multiple awards along the way, a reality which wouldn't have been possible without your collective pledges, so, a huge thanks once again to everyone for the incredible support, encouragement and patience over the course of the last three years! We hope you're proud of what we've achieved here, and, most of all, that you enjoy the film.
All the best,
The Hit Producer team.

Good Things...

Update posted on Wednesday 8th October '14 @ 09:10:51

Dear backers,
It's been quite some time since we were last in touch but we finally return and with lots of good news.
First off, THE HIT PRODUCER has been chosen for Ireland's longest running film festival - Cork Film Festival, now in its 59th year! So, we're delighted to announce that the official Irish Premiere will take place Sunday November 16th at 16:15 in the Gate Cinema! We are extremely excited about the screening and encourage any and all of you who can be there to come join us on the day. Tickets will be available to buy online from this Friday at 10am. Check us out here: http://www.corkfilmfest.org/2014/festival-events/the-hit-producer/
Our second piece of good news is that the film is already an award winner! We recently won 8 Awards of Excellence at The IndieFEST Awards in La Jolla, California, including: feature film, direction, script/writer, cinematography, lead actor (Neil Flemming), lead actress (Michelle Doherty), editing and title/credit design. I'm sure you'll agree it was a hell of a haul and the perfect start to what we hope will be a long and successful festival run.
We also recently had a private screening for the cast and crew which was a tremendous success and the response to the film was fantastic from both those involved and their respective friends/family. Big thanks to those of you who may have been there for coming along and we hope you enjoyed it as much as us.
So, take pride in your part in the awards win and spread the word about THP at Cork Film Festival. We hope to see you there on the day!
More when we have it.
The Hit Producer Team

Teaser Trailer

Update posted on Thursday 30th January '14 @ 06:01:48

Hey all,
So, the time has come for us to give you a little glimpse of how The Hit Producer is shaping up. Seeing as you kind folk made it possible for us to make this movie, we wanted to share the brand new teaser trailer with you first!
Click the link below and feast your eyes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3hhpZk1I1E&feature=youtu.be
We will post it on Facebook and Twitter tomorrow, but if you want to share it online before then please feel free - all we ask is that you use the hash-tag #thehitproducer.
We hope you enjoy it!
All the best,
The Hit Producer Team
ps. just so you know, there are a couple of words in it that may be deemed NSFW! (For the less savvy... Not Safe For Work :-))

New Year Update

Update posted on Friday 17th January '14 @ 11:01:02

Hello funders,
Happy New Year and all that!
We know we've been quiet for a while but really appreciate your patience while we continue work on The Hit Producer.
At this point we have finished editing, and the sound mix, visual FX, music, titles and coloring are now being worked on, so rest assured progress is being made and we will let you know once we cross the finish line.
For those of you interested in film-making, and in particular the role of the director of photography, Jass Foley who shot The Hit Producer will speak at this years Digital Biscuit event, which promises to be a highly informative and engaging talk. Jass will also have new footage from the movie with him to showcase his work and the capabilities of the equipment he used. You can read more about that and book tickets here: http://bit.ly/1iGUvyK
On the rewards front, we're ready to ship, but we're missing one key detail - your postal addresses. So, please send that detail in an email to -
thehitproducermovie@gmail.com
Once again, and you already know this, but the DVDs and limited edition hardback books will come at a later date.
We'll be in touch again when we have more.
All the best,
The Hit Producer Team

Fast Times

Update posted on Friday 24th May '13 @ 04:05:48

Hi everyone,
Apologies for the delay getting an update to you.
Post production is going really well and, while we're still editing, the focus has switched from piecing the story together to getting the finer details right and ensuring that we release the best possible film we can. There's still plenty of work to be done, technical stuff we won't bore you to tears with, but we're sure that in the end it'll be worth the wait and you'll be impressed when you see how far your contribution has gone.
Regarding the rewards, we're waiting on the delivery of the beanies at the moment and once we've received them we will start to send out the majority of what we've promised. DVDs of the finished film and the hardback production manuals won't be included at this point but will follow further down the road.
In other news, Kevin has been invited to speak about crowdfunding The Hit Producer at the excellent Fastnet Short Film Festival, which takes place in Skull, Cork this weekend! Kevin is part of the 'Show Me the Money' panel taking place at the Village Hall at 2pm on Sunday where he will (hopefully) also screen a new trailer, so, if you're going, don't miss out, and if you know someone who is thinking about raising money to make their movie via Fund It or another crowdfunding platform, be sure to let them know.
For those of you who can't be there, Fastnet are apparently going to stream the discussion live online which we assume will be viewable on their homepage, here: http://www.fastnetshortfilmfestival.com/
If we hear any different in the meantime we will update Facebook and Twitter with the correct web address.
Hope you're all well and we'll be in touch again when we have more news.
All the best,
The Hit Producer Team

February 2013

Update posted on Thursday 7th February '13 @ 03:02:25

Hello all,
Hope the new year is treating you well so far.
Filming on The Hit Producer officially wrapped mid-December, and while there’s no denying the incredible effort the cast and crew put in over the last few months - something we are all immensely grateful for - we also want to acknowledge the key part all of you played in making this movie happen, so, in case we haven’t said it enough lately, thank you all once again!
The movie is now in the post production phase where the hugely important editing process will take place, but the footage we have looks fantastic so we’re very much looking forward to see how it all ties together. It will take a while to get through this part of the process but we’ll keep you up to date throughout.
Unfortunately one reward we won’t be able to include is the key-ring, which was going to eat into our budget to produce and so we had to put the quality of the film first. However, a different reward will be subbed in so that nobody is short-changed :-)
Regarding publicity, The Irish World have included a great follow up article on the movie in its current edition which is definitely worth checking out – you can see the article on our Facebook page at the following link: http://on.fb.me/VE0I27
Also, the movie is now listed on the IMDb, which really is a milestone of sorts. Information, credits and details are limited for the moment but this will be updated in due course. In the meantime you can check it out at this link: http://imdb.to/UxACyn
That’s all for now, folks.
‘Be in touch again before long.
All the best,
The Hit Producer Team.

Extras Needed Dec 4th for Key Scene

Update posted on Monday 3rd December '12 @ 04:12:08

Hi Everyone,
Just following up on our last mail, we are shooting a really important scene tomorrow evening, Tuesday December 4th, at The Helix in DCU.
It’s a movie premiere scene and, as mentioned last time, we need a lot of extras to make this scene as realistic looking as possible.
So, anybody who wants to help out, or get themselves into the movie, either as part of the cheering crowd flanking the red carpet, or as featured extras on the red carpet - this is your chance.
Extras are asked to dress smart and to be on set for 6:30pm sharp.
Those of you looking for a chance to feature in the movie, please wear either a tuxedo or frock/evening gown and you could be one of the ‘invitees’ walking the red carpet and posing for the cameras!
We need as many people as possible to get involved for this scene, folks, so if you can make it please do, and bring some friends – the more the merrier.
As always, thanks for your support! We’re almost there!
The Hit Producer Team

Shoot update

Update posted on Friday 23rd November '12 @ 03:11:51

Hi everyone,
We’re conscious that we haven’t been in touch for a while so just want to update you on how things are going on the set of THE HIT PRODUCER.
We’ve been shooting over the last couple of months and have 60% of the script filmed at this point! On top of that, almost all of the complicated or tricky scenes are in the can, so we’ve no more squibs to ready, or blood to spray, or, sadly, guns to fire :-(
It’s been going very well so far and the experience has been incredibly positive!!
Big thanks to everyone who has helped us on set to date!
Regardless of how small or large the contribution, from catering, to extras, to FX professionals etc, it all adds up and the time and effort you put in really means a lot to us.
If you, our backers and ambassadors, would like to help out and fancy being an extra in what will be a key scene of the film, we will be shooting at The Helix in DCU on December 4th and need loads of bodies! If you’re keen then get in touch with us at thehitproducermovie@gmail.com or send a personal message to us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/thehitproducer
Finally, if you would like to see photos from the shoot, you can visit the official movie page on Facebook without signing up! Just follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/TheHitProducer And if you are on FB don’t forget to like the page to receive future updates as they’re posted in your newsfeed.
We’ll be in touch again soon, so until then, as always, watch this space!
All the best.
The Hit Producer Team

Upcoming Rewards

Update posted on Sunday 7th October '12 @ 01:10:13

Hello Funders!
Just a quick update about the much anticipated REWARDS! :)
Thanks to you, and our hard working team of cast and crew, filming has already commenced and The Hit Producer Team have never been busier!
We’re currently gathering all the information for the rewards and totting up the totals so we know how many of you are getting what. Please bear with us as we have to order the right quantities of each item and they have to be made and then delivered to us at The Hit Producer HQ.
We’d also like to mention that for obvious reasons the DVD's will not be sent out until the film has been released next year. Similar goes for the Ltd. Edition Book and the Signed Stills. These will be sent out to you guys early next year after we wrap filming and the editing process is complete.
The reason for this delay is because we’ve put a lot of thought into our rewards and we don’t want to rush them out or compromise the quality of the finished product. We want all of you to get the right rewards, at the right time.
Thanks to you all for being patient with us.
And thanks also to the many of you who came to see director Kevin de la Isla O’Neill and script writer Niall Queenan, talk and answer important questions on our crowdfunding experience for the Crowdfunding/Fundit talk in Filmbase the other week! Such huge support all round and seeing the Teaser Trailer on the big screen in front of an audience was very exciting!
Thanks again, and we’ll be keeping you updated on your rewards, fear not! Watch this space!
~The Hit Producer Team!

1 day wonderland

Update posted on Tuesday 4th September '12 @ 03:09:04

Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to inform you that THE HIT PRODUCER has now crossed the 100% marker with 1 day still on the clock! At the time of writing we're currently up to an astonishing €19,221 - 106%!
Myself and the cast and crew who have worked so hard to try and get this movie made have been blown away by your incredible generosity and feel privileged that so many people from all around the world believe in what we're doing and are giving us this incredible opportunity.
Our plan for the final hours of the project is simple. We've set ourselves a new target of €20,000. The reason we're still pushing is that Fundit have to take 8% of whatever is raised (commission & handling charge) and so by reaching €20,000 we will end up receiving €18,400 and as such retain the full budgetary sum we set out to raise.
So, if any of you are considering a more prestigious movie credit in light of our good news please feel free to upgrade at your discretion, and if you know anybody who you think would like to see their name on the big screen, then let them know. The more money we raise the better the final film will be.
And, if you're unsure about how to upgrade please copy and paste the following shortened link which will bring you to our illustrated guide: on.fb.me/TdXC6S
We're delighted to be in this position at this time and can't thank you all enough for taking us over the line and making this movie a reality.
I'll be in touch again soon.
Thank you!
Kevin.

The Countdown Begins

Update posted on Sunday 2nd September '12 @ 07:09:57

Ladies and gents,
What we're going through could be compared to a movie plot. Right now we're in the final act and watching as all the pieces fall into place. Tension is high, nerves are being shot (one at a time) and even though we're on the edges of our seats, something somewhere inside us still believes that the good guys can win, but what we all know is that the good guys are really going to need the help of all their friends for that to happen.
Since I was last in touch our situation has improved considerably. €14,030 has been pledged, putting us at 77% with only €3,970 between us and the green light. None of this would be fact without the support and belief of you kind and generous people to whom we are so grateful.
The team are working away behind the scenes, doing as much as they can to reach as many people as possible and what we ask of you now is that once you read this email, be it at home, work or on the road, please spread the word about the project, telling everyone that you've backed it, the amount of time left and exactly what is on the line. (here's that shortened link to the Fundit page: bit.ly/PC57lD)
Referral of an opportunity is one thing, referral of an opportunity by a friend who has a vested interest is something else entirely and could be the difference between 100% and, well, let's not go there.
We're so close and with your help I know, and the creative team know, that this project will be funded and viewed as a major success story for independent film-makers everywhere at a time when the odds are so heavily stacked against us.
The clock counts down from 3 days to 2 tomorrow morning, BUT we're also counting down from 3 thousand, to 2, to 1. All that matters now is that we reach zero before the clock does!
See - told you it was like a movie :)
My deepest gratitude and thanks,
Kevin.

The Plot Thickens

Update posted on Friday 31st August '12 @ 09:08:38

Hello hello!
First off, a big welcome and an even bigger thank you to all of our new backers. Believe me, you're in really good company considering that the people who've been with us a little longer have proven themselves to be absolutely incredible ambassadors for The Hit Producer.
A couple of fun things to report. First off we had a table quiz at The Lincoln's Inn last night. Michelle, our star, hosted and even though we were primarily there to inch closer to €18,000, the event also gave us a chance to give back to our supporters who walked away with everything from Mexican cooking lessons, to cinema tickets, to wine, Leprechaun museum passes, to cold hard cash! So, our sincerest thanks to all of you who came along, we really enjoyed your company and hope to see you again at the wrap party and premiere.
We've been getting a bit of attention online lately. NIall (our screenwriter) was retweeted by Guillermo Arriaga (wrote 21 Grams, Babel, Amores Perros) which is the 2nd time he's given us a bigger audience. Niall was also retweeted by Fede Alvarez who has written and directed the new Evil Dead movie. Not only that but Alvaro Rodriguez who co-wrote Robert Rodriguez's 'Machete' is now following The Hit Producer. So, interesting times.
As things stand we're at €11,474 which is 63% of the budget and have 5 days to collect the rest - on Saturday morning this becomes 4 days.
We're really up against it now and are appealing to you guys, our biggest ambassadors, to help us as much as you possibly can. What we need from you now are daily posts on Facebook and Twitter stating that you backed The Hit Producer accompanied by the link to where people can donate on Fundit (here's a shortened one for your convenience bit.ly/PC57lD). Feel free to tag any of the cast members you are friends with if you're so inclined :)
If you're not on either of those it would be an immense help if you showed someone the trailer and tell them what we're doing and what's at stake. We're not asking you to sell the movie to them, but positive word of mouth will really give those who don't know us the desire to help, and this is more likely to happen if they hear it from a friend or family member.
We're really close at this point but considering the time and effort that has gone into the campaign and the amount of money on the line, it's no longer a case of hoping we make it, we NEED to make it. At this point, 126 people have pledged money to see this movie get made and many of you have been with us from the start of the campaign, so we owe it to ourselves to cross the line together and make the leap from the laptop screen to the silver screen.
As always myself and the entire cast and crew are so grateful for your support and belief in what we're doing.
I'll be in touch again soon but in the meantime keep spreading the good word and before long we'll be making a movie!
All the best,
Kevin.

Hundreds and Thousands of Thanks, and More...

Update posted on Tuesday 28th August '12 @ 03:08:42

Hello everyone,
Things are getting really exciting now for The Hit Producer. Just this morning we cleared the €10,000 mark and a few minutes later got our one hundredth backer! It’s a real milestone for the project and with 8 days left and €8,000 to raise it gives us a lot of hope and we have all of you to thank for getting us this far.
We also want to let you know about a new, limited availability reward package. We have 3 speaking roles yet to fill, so, in exchange for a pledge of €1,000 we’re offering a part in the movie on top of the Executive Producer package, and, just to sweeten the deal, 1% of the film sales! We had 4 but 1 was snapped up over the weekend, so these may not last long but in any case, we’re asking you, our ambassadors, to please spread the word.
Also, to keep the momentum going we have a table quiz planned for this Thursday evening at 8pm. It’ll be held at The Lincoln Inn in Dublin and we hope to raise a bit more money for the movie and give away loads of great prizes – everything from cold hard cash, to dinners for two, to Mexican cooking lessons, to DVDs and cinema passes. So, if you can, please come along and bring your friends. It's going to be a fun night!
Our sincerest thanks to all of you, from all of us.
Kevin.

Good News & New Hit Producer Teaser

Update posted on Thursday 23rd August '12 @ 04:08:08

Hello Everybody!
It's been an exciting last few days. As you can see we have made a big jump and are now on 45% with €8,225, which is FANTASTIC!
As you have all committed to this project, and you know that I'm extremely grateful for that, you are now also my STRONGEST AMBASSADORS for The Hit Producer, so I am going to ask you for a little favour and to use your networks to keep spreading the word, because people are more likely to pledge once they know someone close to them has done so. And this will surely help us reach our target of €18,000.
I have created a new Teaser for you all to watch and also share with people. It's a nice little piece which I hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxRxrwMalsc
So thanks again to all of you for your pledges and hard work promoting. It really means a lot.
13 days left to go.... We can do this! And it will be great!
THANK YOU!
Kevin

16 days to go

Update posted on Monday 20th August '12 @ 07:08:45

We have 16 days left to reach our target.
We are at 33% (€6080) out of €18,000
Keep spreading the word and watch this space.
Thanks a million everyone!